


The Crows Have Eyes

by Robot_Qwerty



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Sane Voldemort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2019-05-26 07:15:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14995622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Robot_Qwerty/pseuds/Robot_Qwerty
Summary: Harry Potter only knows himself as Freak at five years old. Freak has no friends and is worthless. Then Freak meets Demon, and it all changes.Not sure where this is going, but I'm sure I'll enjoy the ride.





	1. Chapter 1

The day Freak met Demon it was overcast and gloomy. According to Petunia Dursley, freaks don't get to go outside when it's sunny unless they have chores. Freak didn't mind doing chores when it was overcast, but when it was too sunny he would get dizzy and feel sick. Dudley's constant taunts and punches didn't help.

Freak often wondered why freaks don't get names, but he didn't really think it was completely his fault. After all, his parents had to have been freaks too, otherwise they wouldn't have left him here with no name. Even though Uncle Vernon liked to remind Freak that he was useless and stupid, Freak knew better. He read at the library as often as he could. As long as the chores were done, his relatives didn't care where he went, and Dudley would never think to go into the library.

The library taught him a lot, and even though it took him a while to really understand all of the long words, he slowly realized that he wasn't really a freak. However, that didn't change anything.

When he first tried to get out of the Dursley's custody, he wasn't stupid enough to do it by himself. He used other adults as a buffer. After that failed he actually tried to do it himself, and he swiftly realized that the broken bones weren't worth it. Freak had also realized that something or someone was preventing action from being taken. It made Freak angry, but there wasn't anything he could do.

That morning he had helped Petunia make breakfast and then completed his list of chores. Dudley and his gang had seen Freak leave the house, so he almost didn't make it to the library. Thankfully Freak knew how to lose his dim cousin fairly well by now.

The Little Whinging Public Library was very quiet when he entered. The small, old Librarian had barely acknowledged Freak when he came in. Given how much Mrs. Gladston disliked children, it spoke volumes that she barely spared him a glance. Wanting to finish the book he had been reading, Freak made a beeline to the fiction section to look for the book about Dragon's. Once he found what he wanted, he made himself comfortable next to the shelves.

He was, however, very startled to see another boy sitting across from his favorite spot. Freak couldn't remember seeing his face before, but he felt like he knew him from somewhere. When a pair of hazel eye's clashed with emerald green neither boy seemed capable of movement. A cough from further in the library broke the impromptu staring match and both boys seemed content to ignore each other. 

Although, Freak found himself stealing glances even as he tried to focus on the book in front of him. The other boy was about the same height as him, with curly brown hair that seemed as unruly as his own straight black hair. His hazel eyes seemed muddy in color but they were sharp as he read the book from behind thick, black, rectangular, glasses. His clothing was ill-fitting, but not in the same way as Freak's. His seemed too short in some places and too long in others, with bagginess in some areas and tightness that looked uncomfortable. However, the material was weather appropriate and held no holes or tears.

After fifteen minutes of silence. Freak heard the barest of whispers from the other boy, "My name is Matthew."

There was another stretch of silence wherein Freak was having a panicked internal debate. On one hand he felt a strange sort of connection to the silent 'Matthew', but that could be ruined when he heard Freaks name. 

Deciding that honesty would be best if he wanted to keep Matthew's attention, he whispered back, equally quiet, "My name is Freak."

There was yet another moment where Freak was silent, and when he finally looked up Matthew spoke again. "No it isn't. I just found out my name is Matthew. They call me Demon."

 


	2. Chapter 2

Demon didn't like the other's in his foster home. Having grown up in this house, he still barely knew the other children and preferred to avoid them. Fortunately, this was something the other children felt keenly as well. None of them felt the need to speak to one another, and the couple that they lived with were indifferent to their seeming existence. They were only interested in the paychecks from the foster system, and that suited the children just fine.

However, there was one rather large problem for Demon that the other's didn't have. This problem centered around the Graysons faith. Both of Demon's foster parents were rather devout christian's and didn't like that Demon did things that shouldn't be possible. For example, during a nightmare no one had been able to open the door to the tiny bedroom that belonged to Demon despite the fact that the door had no locks. 

Demon was rather confused by the Grayson's attitude for the simple fact that their belief that he was, in fact, either possessed by a demon or actually a demon didn't make sense. Demon didn't particularly care about anyone and didn't really want to do the things that he had read about in the bible. That didn't necessarily mean he didn't want the two adults to pay for the things that they did to him.

Not particularly wanting to have to deal with anything to do with the foster parents today, Demon decided to just head to the library. He had recently used what his foster father, Daniel Grayson, called his 'demonic powers' to break into the desk in the living room. As it turned out, there wasn't much to know about his past. His so-called guardians had never truly seen fit to tell him anything whatsoever about who he was, not even his name. As he had looked over the file with his picture clipped to the front, he found out that his name was Matthew Lyle Potter. Demon hadn't even known his own birthday, which was July 31st, 1980. The only other information was that he had been found on the steps of a Baptist church in Surrey, with a small bracelet which had his full name engraved into the silver. Demon wondered where the bracelet had gone and had been infuriated to discover that Daniel had pawned it two years ago when he had gotten drunk.

The library had been quiet when he stepped in. Only a few adults appearing to be studying at some of the long tables in the main area. The librarian hadn't seen him come inside and he had made sure that she hadn't. Demon didn't like it when people noticed him, well, he didn't like people in general, and he knew that Mrs. Gladston attended the church Daniel and Marie Grayson forced him and the other children to attend.

Demon had picked a book and felt a sudden desire to just sit at the end of one of the aisles, rather than find a chair that was unoccupied. Even on slow days, the armchairs were always full. 

When a black haired boy had come and sat right across from him, Demon had been very startled. They had stared, almost entranced, at the other. Demon was used to people staring at him in church, so he wasn't surprised when he felt the other boy looking at him even after they had begun to read. He was, however, surprised that he didn't feel anything particularly mean or fearful from the gaze. 

When he looked up he decided that instead of ignoring the small boy, he would say something. The other boy was small and scrawny like him, with big baggy clothes that needed to be mended badly. His hair looked like a black birds nest, but his eyes were an incredible emerald color, sharp and cautious. His glasses were strangely round, but Demon noticed that the other boy seemed quite tanned.

Feeling very silly and unsure of himself, Demon decided that it would be best to introduce himself. Even as he spoke, it was as though he were afraid that his very breath would frighten away this apparition that sat before him, so his words came out in a barely audible whisper. "My name is Matthew."

Immediately Demon began to berate himself. Not only would the other boy run the moment he heard about Demon's 'satanic powers' but it was unlikely that the other boy even heard him. Grumbling at himself for his stupidity, Demon pretended to read so he could compose himself and run; when, rather surprisingly, Demon heard a whispered, "My name is Freak."

Demon felt frozen. He felt as though he had been struck dumb by the quiet admission. Maybe, just maybe, he had met someone like him?

Desperately trying to squash the rising hope bubbling from his chest, Demon stared at the other boy, who seemed to be avoiding his eyes. When Freak finally did look back, the only thing that Demon could say was, "No it isn't. I just found out my name is Matthew. They call me Demon."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This next chapter skips forward a bit in time, rather short and more about them discovering and changing for the next part of the story

Demon was very happy, and yet very confused with his new friend. Both boys seemed quite similar in their likes and dislikes, their home situations, and their names. However, Demon was unhappy with the rest of his life, and he knew that Freak was similar in that regard as well. Then of course there was the apparent lack of care in general over their living situations. Both boys had read enough books and inferred enough from other people to learn that they way their "families" treated them was considered wrong. They had known each other for a little over five months, but Demon had still been reluctant to explain fully why his foster parents disliked him so much. Demon had a feeling that Freak was hiding things too, but was too afraid to come out and ask in case Freak thought he was really a demon-spawn as well. 

That changed the day Freak sneaked Demon into the Dursley's house while Petunia was having a nap. They had both decided that it would be better to go into the disused attic, since they could be so quiet when they tried. The dirty attic had turned up amazing things in the form of an old steamer trunk. Freak had been both very upset and delighted to learn that his name was Harrison James Potter, and that he and Demon not only shared the last name Potter, but had been born on the same day. As they had explored deeper into the mysterious trunk, they uncovered the existence of the wizarding world and Hogwarts. Their secrets had come spilling out and their collective anger and relief had caused everything in the vicinity to shake like there was an earthquake.

Thankfully the noise had not awoken Petunia since, as Freak described, she had taken her special pills. Ever since that afternoon, Freak and Demon took every possible opportunity to go into the trunk and soak up every bit of information available. 

As their friendship and understanding progressed, there was also a frustrating lack of real answers that they had growing in piles. Why were their last names the same? They had been abandoned in the same manner, but they had been left in vastly different places. If they were brothers, maybe even twins, why were their appearances so different? They only had letters and old school books to really understand what was happening, and unfortunately, while fascinating, they didn't give any good information on the wizarding world. Then, on the eve before the boys sixth birthday, they discovered "Wizarding Britain: A Guide for Muggleborns". The book had given outlines with a few specifics about government, currency, nobility, creatures, and a few other things that were both fascinating and terrifying. The slim volume had given the boys some much needed clues, but it had only made them more determined to find their own answers. 

Once summer had ended and the first year of primary school began, both Freak and Demon decided that they needed to create their own names. Sure, they knew that their real names were Harrison and Matthew, but neither of them felt like they meant anything. Demon knew that his own name was meant to be demeaning and hurtful, just like Freak, but it was the only names they truly responded to. 

Both boys had stayed in the library one evening on the weekend to really look into names. Demon had thought of multiple names from the fiction and non-fiction books he had read, but none of them really struck true for him. Then, when he had become frustrated, he had begun to look at a book listing some well known deadly plants. As he flipped through the pages with a modicum of interest, Demon halted on a singularly interesting plant: Hemlock. Apparently there were many different types of species of hemlock, some of which referred to trees, but what truly interested him was the poisonous plants. Poison...

Demon had put the book back in contemplative silence before walking back to Freak. He had a book out about Greek and Roman mythology. When Freak suddenly closed his book, they stared at each other for a moment before twin mischievous grins stretched their faces.

From then on, Harry was known as Hades, and Matthew was known as Hemlock. They also giggled quite a bit over the fact that both of their names started with an 'H' and were associated with death. Their senses of humor were a little twisted at that point.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Still Matthew's point of view. The boys will be referred to with their 'special' names from now on: Hemlock for Matthew and Hades for Harry. This chapter has some nasty elements related to exorcism, so if you don't like, skip the chapter
> 
> dialogue during exorcism taken directly from - https://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/afterlife/exorcism4.htm - made changes to the steps taken, but it is not original

Hemlock had woken up in the morning with a bad feeling. It was Sunday, which meant that everyone would be going to church today. This particular Sunday, however, seemed slightly off. Every single interaction with the Grayson's had felt just slightly stilted, just a little bit different from everyday interactions. The other children had picked up on it too, and would shoot him speculative looks, probably assuming that he had done something weird again. Hemlock tried desperately to figure out why his foster parents were acting so strangely, because the closer they walked to the church, the worse his sense of foreboding became. Hemlock hadn't really been paying attention in church lately. He had turned seven and both Hades and himself had been practicing and experimenting with manipulating their magic. His thoughts lingered on his best friend and he often wondered what Hades was doing while he sat in church.

When they entered the sanctuary, the others in the congregation were acting normal, but Hemlock kept catching the priest staring at him with an intensity that had his spine stiffening and his brain panicking. There were two priests whom were in charge at this church, Father Terence and Father Michel. Father Michel was an old, pot-bellied, graying little man whom seemed to float through life. Father Terence was much more serious and passionate about his faith. When the service started the priest, Father Terence, had introduced a visiting member of the clergy, Father Aidel, whom was apparently helping with the service before he left. The other man sent Hemlock's tension skyrocketing. Father Aidel appeared to be a generally unhappy person with an almost constant scowl. His voice grated on Hemlock's nerves with it's almost nasal quality and he noticed that this priest was watching him on and off throughout the service. Combined with the nervous looks his foster parents kept shooting him, Hemlock was about five minutes away from bolting. 

The service finally ended around ten, and the majority of the congregation left pretty quickly so that the priests could prepare for the 11 o'clock service. When Father Terence informed the stragglers that he needed a moment with Father Aidel, they simply vacated the area, whilst Father Michel appeared to be doing set-up for the next service by himself. Hemlock was getting rather antsy, because the entire time this was happening, Daniel and Marie were having a fiercely whispered argument off to the side while the children sat awkwardly on the bench. After both priests had been gone for about three minutes Daniel came over and said, "It's time to go home." Hemlock stood with the others and filed out of the pew. When he went to go past his foster father, however, the man clamped his hot and sweaty hand on Hemlock's shoulder.

Looking into Daniel's eyes, Hemlock felt his stomach drop when he said, "Not you, _Demon_. Mrs. Grayson needs some company while she speaks to Father Terence. Go."

Hesitating only a moment when he noticed the steely glint in Daniel's eyes and walked stiffly over to Marie, whom was looking imperious and just as steely as her husband. She didn't bother to take Hemlock's hand and began to walk over towards the door to the right of the alter. Hemlock's heart began pounding very loudly in his chest. He wanted to run back to the safety of the library, or go and find Hades... hell, right now he would take Hades cupboard if he could. But Hemlock new better than that. He had maintained a sort of balance with the Grayson's by remaining silent and obedient, the thought of what might happen if he disrupted that, terrified him more than this sense of foreboding did. 

 

 

Skip if you squick ~~~~~~

 

 

Attempting to keep his breathing normal, he followed behind Marie as she went down the hall and opened a door. Hemlock stopped abruptly when he noticed that the door went down into the basement. He was about to turn around and run when someone from the stairs shot up and grabbed his arm in a vice-like grip and began to drag him down the stairs. Hemlock was startled enough to let out a loud yelp, but was cuffed on the back of the head and told to keep quiet. 

As he was basically being man-handled, all of Hemlock's attention was on trying to keep upright and not hurting himself. When he was shoved into an uncomfortable wooden chair, he realized who it was that had grabbed him. Father Aidel was standing in front of him, with Father Terence standing by the stairs next to his foster mother. Father Aidel had dragged him to a drab looking room with one door and no windows. Looking around, his heart beating in his chest like a hummingbird, Hemlock saw several buckets of water off to the side, as well as a bible, a rosary, and a small vial of what looked like oil. The two priests and Marie were standing in front of the only exit in the room, the bare light bulb providing the only light.

Hemlock's eyesight became a little hazy as his breathing became unsteady. Both priests were wearing a purple stole and positioning themselves in front of Hemlock. Aidel was to the right side, very close, whilst Terence appeared to be bracing himself. Marie was kneeling on the floor and appeared to be praying. Then, Hemlock realized that they had closed the door and couldn't hear anything from upstairs or outside the room. 

The sudden voice startled Hemlock so badly that he jumped, which caused a smug look of satisfaction to spread over Adiels face as he began, "All-powerful God, pardon all the sins of your unworthy servant. Give me constant faith and power so that, armed with the power of Your holy strength, I can attack this cruel evil spirit in confidence and security..."

Aidel grabbed Hemlock by the scruff of his jacket and jerked him upright, then forcing him to move forward, took advantage of Hemlock tripping and plunged his head into one of the buckets of water. 

He had no idea what to do. The priest was holding his head in what Hemlock realized must be holy water before yanking him out, coughing and sputtering. He hadn't been prepared to be held under water. Shocked, terrified, and panicking, he had inhaled some water and was just trying to breathe while Aidel practically shrieks:

"I exorcise you, Most Unclean Spirit! All Spirits! Every one of you! In the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ: Be uprooted and expelled from this Creature of God..."

He plunged Hemlock's head back into the bucket, this time he struggled, trying to force his head above the water. Aidel pulled him back again and practically threw Hemlock back into the chair. Now Hemlock was drenched, his head and torso soaked in water. Coughing as his lungs spasmed, he tried to stay upright. Hands landed on his shoulders, squeezing painfully so he couldn't run. Aidel turned back to him, holding the rosary and bible. He began to read from the bible in what Hemlock assumed was latin and held the rosary to his forehead. Considering what the man had just done to him, Hemlock couldn't help the flinch when he was touched again. 

Another smug look passed over the priests face.

Then, finally, Hemlock realized what was happening. They were performing an exorcism! They had finally lost it! Hemlock never did anything to indicate he was trying to harm them. His magic had never centered on anything potentially hurtful or threatening. Why did they think that they had to do this!?

When he looked up again at the priest, his skin tingled unpleasantly. Aidel's eyes were narrowed on Hemlock's face, a look of demented determination overtaking his pointed features, his face flushed  red. Without warning, he grabbed Hemlock again plunged his head into the next bucket, as apparently his thrashing had emptied most of the water from the other one.

He screamed again, "I exorcise you, Most Unclean Spirit! All Spirits! Every one of you! In the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ: Be uprooted and expelled from this Creature of God"

Hemlock chocked, his body was twitching and thrashing, his levels of panic and terror making his mind go blank. He was brought up again, coughing and gasping, then he was plunged in again. This time was longer and he started trashing even harder, trying to knock the bucket over so he could breathe aga-

Abruptly he was thrown back into the chair. The latin began again and this time Hemlock felt all of the anger at this situation, the impotent fury rushing through him. He glared at the priest and began shouting. He didn't know what he was saying, but it was making him feel a slight bit more in control than remaining silent. It wasn't until Aidel reached for him again that Hemlock realized that the psycho thought that he was truly dealing with the demon that possessed his body, not a seven year old. Horror spread through him and without thinking, his magic reacted as that hand came nearer. Lashing out, Father Aidel flew across the room and into the cement wall. He didn't see any blood, but he didn't care. Hemlock made a break for it when he was grabbed around the waist and dragged over to the buckets again. He had forgotten about Father Terence in his panic. 

Head plunging towards the third bucket, he heard Terence barking orders at Marie before the familiar words, "I exorcise you-" began and his head plunged back into the cold holy water. 

His body was tired and hurting, his lungs expelling air as they spasmed again even as he tried to hold in a speck of air. Hemlock's chest ached as he was brought up for oxygen again. He could hear Aidel shouting something about the Virgin Mary before he was nearly drowned again. His brain began to go into overdrive. He couldn't count on his accidental magic again, his body and core were depleting rapidly. Being thrown back into the chair and being held in place, Hemlock panted as he closed his eyes and decided that he needed to play along. These insane people needed to believe that they had 'saved' him. To do that he needed to bring out the big guns. 

Opening his eyes, he looked straight over the priests shoulder at the wall whilst he shouted at him in latin, and focused on his magic. Letting his magic loose, you could feel the air getting thicker, and the bulb began to blink and falter. Aidel started speaking louder, his nasally voice getting hoarse. 

'Ok,' Hemlock thought to himself, 'You can do this,' and then he started to spasm and jerk his limbs, flopping around like he was having a seizure. He rolled his eyes, letting them go back as far as he could. Then abruptly, Hemlock screamed at the top of his lungs, then he shut down his magic and went limp, letting his eyes close.

Father Aidel was breathing harshly, but he continued, "Go away, Seducer! The desert is your home. The serpent is your dwelling. Be humiliated and cast down. For even though you have deceived men, you cannot make a mockery of God ... He has prepared Hell for you and your angels."

Some shuffling and he feels something being spread on his forehead in the shape of the cross. Then realizes it must be that vial of oil. Hemlock allows his eyes to flutter open, but focuses on making his eyes remain unfocused so that he can help keep his emotions off of his face. 

Father Aidel puts his hand on Hemlocks head and begins to pray, Hemlock follows along, his voice hoarse as they recite the Lord's Prayer along with Father Terence and Marie. 

Praying to magic itself that he gets out of this, Hemlock keeps his head down and merely listens as Marie thanks the bastards profusely for torturing him. Keeping a vice grip on his core, he forces a meek, 'thank you' out of his mouth and follows Marie home. People look at Marie and himself askance as they make their way back to the house. Hemlock viciously calls Marie as many bad words as he can think of and mocks her for not bringing something to cover the fact that he was soaking wet when she had planned this whole thing.

 

 

Squick is over ~~~~~~

 

 

Hemlock was sore and he could feel bruises forming where he had been grabbed. When they finally reached home, Hemlock changed into a t-shirt and jeans and curled into a ball on his cot. Keeping the door to his room closed, he wished that Hades was here. He wished that his parents were alive and that they were with him. His heart ached along with his body as he prayed to magic once again that he could get away from these people, that he could just disappear.


	5. Chapter 5

Hades had never truly experienced hatred before in his life until Hemlock and himself met in the attic once school was out for the day. He understood that at seven years old, most people wouldn't have cause to feel such an intense emotion towards another person. However, when he had finally gotten the courage to ask Hemlock why he was acting so strangely. What Hemlock revealed to him had caused an emotion so intense that he could feel his magic in the air around him, looking with deadly intent for the people who were supposed to protect and care for his friend. 

His friend had an EXORCISM performed on him! Hemlock explained that he needed to act meek and unsure, yet at the same time grateful for what the Grayson's did to him so that they wouldn't try to exorcise him again. Hades understood and was thankful to any deity existing that his friend was such a good actor, but every time he saw his friend acting meek and unsure at school, rage boiled under the surface. In fact, anger, frustration, and fear, were Hades' constant companions lately. Hades watched and listened to the so-called adults and knew that for the most part that every single one of them chose to ignore the obvious and instead, to make themselves feel better, called both he and his friend troublemakers, strange, abnormal. Hades was sick of the world around him, but he knew that there was nothing either he or Hemlock could do until they were grown. 

Walking through the grocery store with the money he and Hemlock had nicked from their 'guardians', Hades contemplated what they should buy so that it wouldn't go bad up in the attic. The attic of the Dursley's home was the only place that the boys would never be discovered. Twisting and manipulating their magic so that it coiled around their bodies enabled both boys to move around unseen, but they couldn't hold it indefinitely, hence the need for a safe space. Hades was relatively sure that no one would think to look for him  _inside_ the house.

Relatively speaking, today was pretty average for Hades and his friend, right up until it wasn't. Hades had been contemplating some sort of hazelnut spread that didn't need to be refrigerated, when an older woman wearing some strange clothing walked up to him with a strange sort of smile on her face. Strange, because not only were her clothes mismatched and too hot for summer, but also because she seemed to recognize him.

"Oh!" the strange woman practically squealed, "Harry Potter! It's so wonderful to meet you!"

Hades saw Hemlock peek his head around the end of the short isle and look at the woman in horrified fascination.

Trying not to upset the possibly dangerous woman, Hades smiled and allowed her to shake his hand.

Being as polite as possible without seeming too friendly, Hades replied, "It's lovely to meet you as well, ma'am."

It was obvious from the way she addressed him that she didn't believe that she knew him personally, but how on earth did she know his name?

"You have such good manners! Oooh, I'm so glad that I got to meet the famous Harry Potter!" she beamed, then a confused frown came over her features. "But why on earth are you shopping in a muggle store?"

Hades mind stuttered to a halt at the words "famous Harry Potter", and "muggle", and then started to whir at an almost dizzying pace. Deciding to see how far he could take this, he transformed the look on his face from "back-away-from-the-crazy-person" to "cute-seven-year-old".

"Umm... my aunty is teaching me how to spend money and buy things ma'am, she's waiting outside if I need her..." he trailed of, making sure to seem unsure, and then, in the way other children in his class acted, he pretended to be proud and completely sure of himself. "I don't need her help though," Hades puffed his chest up proudly, he wanted to snicker at the way she cooed over his behavior. "I know where Diagon Alley is too," he said, he remembered reading about the famous shopping district in the book they had discovered in his mother's trunk, he wondered if he could get some information about the area from the witch in front of him. "It's in London just off of... um..."

Hades scrunched his eyebrows together in the way he had seen Mary-Jane, a particularly stupid girl from class, do when she was trying to remember something. The teachers thought it was adorable, Hades thought it was stupid to let someone know you were struggling. Hemlock looked as though he couldn't breathe from trying to hold his laughter back. Hades would glare later.

The witch squealed again and said, "Charing Cross road, right through the Leaky Cauldron, dear."

Hades nodded in an exaggerated manner, and replied, "Yes! There!"

She cooed again at his idiocy and then seemed sad as she said, "Oh, it was so lovely to meet you young man, but I have to be going," she shook his hand enthusiastically again, then left. 

Hades met Hemlock's eyes and they both just stared for a moment until they broke out of their shock and quietly went to pay for their food. Sneaking up into the attic was easy as Dudley was out with his friends and Vernon wasn't home yet. 

The two boys were silent for a long time until Hemlock broke the silence with his giggles. "That was amazing Hades."

Hades glared for a moment before he joined his friend in giggling. When the giggles stopped, Hades eyes gleamed in the gloomy light, "Charing Cross Road, through the Leaky Cauldron, Hemlock..."

Hemlock looked back, seeming to vibrate where he sat, "The Grayson's arranged for a church retreat next weekend, they'll be gone for two days, and they don't care what we do as long as we're back before they are."

Hades grinned sharply, "The Dursley's are going away too, planning to 'lock' me in my cupboard while they're gone."

Hemlock frowned at that, but Hades punched his arm lightly so he would smile again. His friend didn't like how the Dursley's treated him, but neither of them could really help the other.

The boys grabbed a scrap of paper from their collection and started creating a plan for the next weekend, when they would finally step into the wizarding world.


	6. Chapter 6

Hemlock felt like he was going to start vibrating himself off of seat he was in. The mixture of excitement and anxiety swirling in his stomach had made it almost impossible to choke down the toast that the Grayson’s had left everyone before going on their retreat. Both Hades and himself had been impatient during the time they waited for this golden opportunity, but they had managed to act their way through decently enough, that the suspicious glances from adults were kept to a minimum. They weren’t perfect actors, but adults saw what they wanted to see. Looking out the window, Hemlock felt Hades heat next to him shift as they pulled into the station.

            Somehow, they had managed to get onto a London-bound train without the conductor noticing, and used their special shields when he came for tickets. They sat in the back of the car and only wrapped themselves in magic when needed to. Thanking Magic or whatever it was called that they were on an early train, thus hardly anyone was on board.

            They caught a bus going to the correct area of town and then following the directions they had created a week prior, Hemlock and Hades navigated London hand-in-hand. Avoiding main roads and sticking to low-traffic streets so as to not get caught by a Bobby or a well-meaning adult, they finally made it to Charing Cross Road.

Neither Hades, nor Hemlock, considered themselves brave. Whenever they thought of bravery, they thought of the hero's and heroines from the many books that they get lost in for a while. Surely, bravery was when you took on a monumental task despite your fears? To the two seven-year-olds, taking a train and then a bus into London so they could finally reach the famous Diagon Alley was not brave. In their minds, it was survival, a necessary task that was nothing particularly special or daunting by their estimate. 

By all accounts, their first glimpse of the wizarding world was rather anti-climactic. A very dingy-looking pub greeted Hades and Hemlock after their trek. The sign was hanging by a single chain, as the other appeared to be broken due to rust. For some odd reason, everyone by-passed the dirty entrance without so much as a glance. Given some of the stares the two children were on the receiving end of, the books were right in their information that the entrance to the magical alley was protected by spells. This, regretfully, informed both boys that they had indeed found the right place.

Looking at each other with doubtful faces, the two friends reached inside to their magic in order to manipulate it. Stretching their cores like a muscle, they molded the energy into a sort of cocoon all over their skin. Using their core like this was becoming easier and easier as they often needed to be ignored by the people around them. They had needed a lot of practice in the beginning, and using their energy like this was tiring, but a very good skill to have. In this instance, it also provided extra protection against any attention drawn to Hades’ supposed ‘celebrity’ status.

Entering the pub, they were both at least pleasantly surprised that the building, although somewhat dim, was clean on the inside. They were prepared to see that everyone in the room appeared to be wearing robes. Thankfully the books from Lily Potter’s trunk had prepared them for the cultural tradition. Although, at first, they had thought that it would look like everyone was wearing a dress.

Standing together in a lonely, out of the way corner, Hades and Hemlock positioned themselves for the task at hand: Hades watched the entrance and Hemlock watched the rest of the area. The main problem here was that neither of them could disguise just how young they were. Seven was not considered an appropriate age to be allowed any real agency over one’s actions outside of their parent’s decisions. The last thing they wanted was some concerned, well-meaning adult to waylay their plot. A very specific plan had taken shape the afternoon of their discovery in regards to the location of The Leaky Cauldron: the main goal being an inheritance test from Gringott’s.

A few minutes into their silent vigil had Hemlock nudging Hades’ side, green eyes met hazel, and both young boys watched as a group of elderly witches made their way to a door beside the bar, loudly discussing a birthday party for some little kid. Meeting each other’s gaze, Hades and Hemlock nodded, before following closely on the trail of the last little old bitty to enter what appeared to be a tiny, bricked-off courtyard.

Watching they woman near the front was rather difficult given their position and height, but they managed to catch the sequence required to open the entrance. The shock that the two experienced almost made them freeze too long and miss their chance to enter behind the women. Quickly dashing through the closing entrance, Hades and Hemlock came to a stand-still to the side of the entrance, and stared.

Lopsided, colorful buildings, strangely dressed people, bizarre wares, and unknown creatures milled through the street. Foreign noises and alien scents assaulted the senses and made up for the rather dismal initial glimpse. After simply standing and absorbing the fantastic new scene for a few minutes, the two boys looked around with more intent and spotted a huge building that reminded them vaguely of pictures from history books of grand roman temples and fancy parliament buildings.

Taking deep breaths, the boys plunged into the crowd, tightly holding onto each others hand again, and made their way towards what they prayed was Gringotts.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Couldn't think of a fitting way for the Gringotts visit to proceed, so I went with another time skip

The sun broke out bright and blinding as the snow reflected the wintry morning light. The shack that had been transformed into a modest little home for the twin brothers, Hades Jace Peverell and Hemlock Mattei Peverell, stood lopsided and crumbling amidst foot deep drifts of snow.

The inside of the shack, which one could not see, was vastly improved behind the facade of a ramshackle structure. With the help of runes and goblin warding, no muggle or wizard would ever step foot inside without permission. It was amazing what misfiled papers and under the table payment could win you if you were careful enough.

Inside the shack, the floors gleamed like rich coffee, with the walls and ceiling mirroring the woodwork in exposed beams and light flooding through gossamer curtains. On the right side of the shack from the front entrance was a kitchen and laundry area, whose dimensions would have boggled the mind, given the square footage of the property, along with a dining area. To the left side, was a single large door that would not look out of place in a palace, with distressed silver designs and strong iron bands holding pale birch wood together. This door led to a hallway with five doors. Again, the space that was permitted given the normal constraints of physics, should have yielded four tiny rooms, and a door at the end of the hall leading outside. Enter the brilliance of goblin warding and rune masters. Two fairly large bedrooms, across from the other at the end of the hall, with a bathroom in between at the very end, with a library to the left, and a study with two desks to the right.

As the dawn shattered the freezing world outside, the bedroom door on the left opened, and a ten year old child (appearing to be around eight years old), poked his head out into the cold hallway. Shivering slightly, the little boy scampered to the bedroom door opposite his and lightly knocked on the other door. Said door opened rather suddenly and an equally small hand grabbed the other child and pulled him into the room with a squeal. Dashing to the large blue canopied bed, the second child dove under the still warm covers and giggled in delight as the fist child dove in after him. Twin pairs of pale jade eyes crinkled in laughter as they burrowed into the covers for warmth. 

The first boy then spoke in a whisper soft voice, "Hemmy, we need to prepare for the yule log and the ritual. We don't have a lot of daylight to work with."

With a little groan, the second boy snuggled into the first and mumbled, "But it's so cold Haddy."

Another giggle burst from the first child, Hades, throat and he pulled the covers down enough so that both heads were exposed to the morning light. The second boy, Hemlock, hissed in indignation but did not protest as he was aware that the other was correct in his statement. Winter solstice was the shortest day of the year, meaning that any ritual performed outside should be prepared during daylight, as to prevent any interference from spells being used for illumination in the dark.

In the silence of a stolen moment in the arms of family, Hemlock simply basked in the warmth of the body next to him, and Hades studied his twin. Red hair the color of blood fanned out behind Hemlock in messy waves from his restless sleep. The tank top he was wearing exposed a thin scar along his left shoulder. The memory that particular scar drudged up caused a shudder to wrack Hades delicate frame, and he could not help but hold his brother a little tighter.

Not a single word had been heard about the missing Boy-Who-Lived, or the unknown missing foster child, since the day after two unlikely children exited Gringotts with the backing of some very angry goblins. It had been three and a half years, since the fateful day two little boys had first climbed the steps of the British Branch of Gringott's, and learned the facts of their birth. 

They had greeted the goblins with the upmost politeness, forgoing any sort of official greeting, as any books they had found in Lily Evans' trunk contained very conflicting accounts of Goblin culture. The one constant that they had discovered was fondness for wealth, combined with cunning intelligence. Waiting for the goblin teller in front of them to finish his task, they had politely, but firmly requested two inheritance tests. The goblin had stared at them for a moment, surprised at their politeness and frank attitudes (though he would never be so unprofessional as to allow said surprise to show), had escorted them to a goblin in one of the offices further in the bank and left them to wait. 

Another goblin entered and after paying the required amount in muggle money, had put four drops of blood into a bottled potion. Swirling from a nasty green color to the color of blood, the goblin had then poured the potion onto parchment in front of each boy. To say all three beings in the room had been shocked was an understatement.

Hades parchment had read:

Inheritance Test

_Birth name: Harrison James Potter_

_Older Twin: Matthew Lyle Potter_

_Birth date: January 15th, 1980_

_Birth Father: Thomas Marvolo Riddle_

_Bearer: James Charlus Potter (Deceased) (Will Illegally Sealed)_

_Godfather: Severus Tobias Snape *by Blood and Magic_

_Blood-Adoption: Lillian Gladis Potter nee Evans, January 27th, 1980 (Deceased) (Will Illegally Sealed)_

_Blood-Adoption Officiant: Lord Charlus Edgar Potter (Deceased)_

_Muggle Guardians: Petunia Dursley nee Evans, Vernon Dursley (Illegal)_

_Magical Guardian: Albus Dumbledore (Illegal)_

**_Titles:_ **

_Potter (Secondary Heir, Maternal)_

_Peverell (Secondary Heir, Maternal, Paternal)_

_Slytherin (Secondary Heir, Paternal)_

_Gryffindor (Secondary Heir, Maternal)_

_Lupin (Heir, Bequeathed)_

_Prince (Heir, Declared)_

_Ravenclaw (Heir, Godparent bond, Bloodline)_

**_Vaults:_ **

_Potter:_

_-445 (Heirlooms, 1 Million Gs, 500,000 Sk, 423 Kn) Unavailable, Lordship_

_-543 (3 Million Gs, 43,000 Sk, 22 Kn) Unavailable, Lordship_

_-637 (School Vault {Trust vault} 500,000 Gs, 2000 Sk, 500 Kn) Unavailable until enrollment, or sufficient proof of need_

_Peverell:_

_-21 (Heirlooms, Art, Literature) Unavailable, Lordship_

_-47 (10 Million Gs, 637,000 Sk, 5000 Kn) Unavailable, Lordship_

_-59 (Investments 9 Million Gs, 320,000 Sk, 8534 Kn) Unavailable, Lordship_

_Slytherin:_

_-3 (Heirlooms, Art, Literature) Unavailable, Lordship Acknowledgment_

_-10 (1 Million Gs, 500,442 Sk, 567 Kn) Unavailable, Lordship Acknowledgment_

_-67 (587 Sk, 44 Kn) Unavailable, Lordship Acknowledgment_

_Gryffindor:_

_-5 (Heirlooms, Art, Literature) Unavailable, Lordship Acknowledgment_

_-7 (2 Million Gs, 5987 Sk, 34 Kn) Unavailable, Lordship Acknowledgment_

_Lupin:_

_-987 (Heirlooms, Art, Literature, 500,456 Gs, 38 Sk, 42 Kn) Unavailable, Lordship_

_Prince:_

_-479 (Heirlooms, Art, Literature) Unavailable, Lordship_

_-512 (13 Million Gs, 427,987 Sk, 3245 Kn) Unavailable, Lordship_

_Ravenclaw:_

_-4 (Literature) Unavailable, Acknowledgment_

_-14 (Heirlooms, Art) Unavailable, Acknowledgment_

_16 (500 Million Gs, 698,322 Sk, 4567 Kn) Unavailable, Acknowledgment_

**_Potions, Spells, Blocks:_ **

_Soul Bond Block: Twin Bond by Albus Dumbledore October 31st, 1982_

_Blood Bond Block: Godfather Bond by Albus Dumbledore October 31st, 1982_

_Blood Glamour: Applied by Albus Dumbledore October 31st, 1982_

_Magical Core Block: 50% Applied by Albus Dumbledore March 25th, 1984_

_Nature Speak Block: 100% (Partial Break) Applied by Albus Dumbledore April 12th, 1985_

_Obliviate: Performed by Albus Dumbledore March 25th, 1984 and April 12th, 1985_

_Submission Potion: Administered November 1st, 1982_

_Loyalty Potion: (broken) Administered Novermber 1st, 1982 Keyed to Albus Dumbledore_

 

Hemlock's parchment had been equally shocking and disturbing:

Inheritance Test

_Birth Name: Matthew Lyle Potter_

_Younger Twin: Harrison James Potter_

_Birth Date: January 15th, 1980_

_Birth Father: Tom Marvolo Riddle_

_Bearer: James Charlus Potter (Deceased) (Will Illegally Sealed)_

_Godfather: Sirius Orion Black *by Blood and Magic_

_Blood-Adoption: Lillian Gladis Potter Nee Evans, January 27th, 1980 (Deceased) (Will Illegally Sealed)_

_Blood-Adoption Officiant: Lord Charlus Edgar Potter (Deceased)_

_Muggle Guardians: Daniel Grayson, Marie Grayson nee Wick (Muggle Government)_

_Magical Guardian: Albus Dumbledore (Illegal)_

**_Titles:_ **

_Potter (Heir, Maternal)_

_Peverell (Heir, Maternal, Paternal)_

_Slytherin (Heir, Paternal)_

_Gryffindor (Heir, Maternal)_

_Black (Heir, Declared)_

_**Vaults:**  
_

_Potter:_

_-445 (Heirlooms, 1 Million Gs, 500,000 Sk, 423 Kn) Unavailable, Lordship_

_-543 (3 Million Gs, 43,000 Sk, 22 Kn) Unavailable, Lordship_

_-638 (School Vault {Trust vault} 500,000 Gs, 2000 Sk, 500 Kn) Unavailable until enrollment, or sufficient proof of need_

_Peverell:_

_-21 (Heirlooms, Art, Literature) Unavailable, Lordship_

_-47 (10 Million Gs, 637,000 Sk, 5000 Kn) Unavailable, Lordship_

_-59 (Investments 9 Million Gs, 320,000 Sk, 8534 Kn) Unavailable, Lordship_

_Slytherin:_

_-3 (Heirlooms, Art, Literature) Unavailable, Acknowledgment_

_-10 (1 Million Gs, 500,442 Sk, 567 Kn) Unavailable, Acknowledgment_

_-67 (587 Sk, 44 Kn) Unavailable, Acknowledgment_

_Gryffindor:_

_-5 (Heirlooms, Art, Literature) Unavailable, Acknowledgment_

_-7 (2 Million Gs, 5987 Sk, 34 Kn) Unavailable, Acknowledgment_

_Black:_

_-312 (Heirlooms, Literature, Portraits) Unavailable, Lordship_

_-345 (50 Million Gs, 764,988 Sk, 5487 Kn) Unavailable, Lordship_

_-640 (Trust Vault 1 Million Gs, 500,000 Sk, 5000 Kn) Unavailable until enrollment, or sufficient proof of need_

**_Potions, Spells, Blocks:_ **

_Soul Bond Block: Twin Bond by Albus Dumbledore October 31st, 1982_

_Blood Bond Block: Godfather Bond by Albus Dumbledore October 31st, 1982_

_Blood Glamour: Applied by Albus Dumbledore October 31st, 1982_

_Magical Core Block: 100% (Partial Break) Applied by Albus Dumbledore October 31st, 1982_

_Nature Speak Block: 100% Applied by Albus Dumbledore April 12th, 1985_

_Obliviate: Performed by Albus Dumbledore April 12th, 1985_

 

The goblin, Bloodblade, whom had performed the inheritance tests had sworn violently in Gobbledygook upon reading the end of the parchments and had immediately ushered the two very upset boys further into the bank. He had then transferred them into the capable hands of the goblin healers, handing over a copy of the tests and insisting upon full physicals and health scans.

Bloodblade had then proceeded to the Goblin Chief Gornuk's office and explained what had happened. The Goblins, or as they preferred, the Stone Nation, were not overly fond of interfering in wizard affairs, but there were a few exceptions. The first was when wealth or artifacts were involved, the second was when a member of the nation was attacked or arrested in wizarding territory, and the third was when children were being used and abused. Goblin fertility was slow and low in number, so they tended to value children above all else. The wizarding community also valued children, but they did not have any systems in place to protect magical children outside of their world. 

Needless to say, Chief Gornuk decided to help the two boys whom had entered their halls at least a little bit. Not wanting to risk drawing the wizards attention, he had set a few restrictions onto the goblin whom he would assign their case. He knew that the boys would need a new home and possibly a new guardian, so an experienced account manager would be better. The current managers of the heir-ship's the boys were entitled to would of course be informed and certain avenues could be explored. After all, an unclaimed account meant an account that was earning no gold.

Chief Gornuk had assigned a higher-up goblin, Goreaxe, to tackle this particular problem, he knew that the goblin in question was rather fond of a challenge. However, the longer Goreaxe interacted with the twins, the more protective he felt. Their Healer reports had read like a tragic novel, and their honest and heartfelt actions to treat all of the goblins they met with the utmost respect and gratitude just made him more determined to help. For the first time in his long life, Goreaxe found himself explaining goblin culture to two wizards whom held genuine interest beyond simply wishing to use their relationship to their advantage. Both boys were cunning and sly, and they were more than willing to allow all of the account managers whom were in charge of their inherited houses free reign along with a percentage of the profits. They may not in control of those account until they were older, but since the accounts were dormant to everyone but them, they held certain privileges: it also helped that the goblins didn't much care for the regulations of wizards when such a situation to make money and protect younglings arose.

In the end, it was decided that neither boy should claim their titles, as that would alert their 'magical gaurdian' that they were aware of his manipulations and escaping them. However, with a special ritual used during the days of the witch hunts, they could change the names of both boys to reflect their inherited titles. It was often used when muggles were hunting magicals, or desperate relatives tried to claim family titles in absence of direct bloodlines. Hence, both boys kept a part of their original names alive while masking their old identities.

Goreaxe knew that the extra conditions on the trust vaults had been intended for emergency use during the war, but he was able to twist the meaning as it appeared that the manipulative old headmaster had illegally sealed the wills, making the specific instructions on what 'proof of need' was. He had then arranged a place for them to live, a wizarding space so that there would be no proof whatever of it's existence. Although the process had taken some doing, the twins would gain full access to their trusts. However, an added benefit involved the original intent of trust vaults. All old wizarding families created them for their offspring in order to demonstrate not only how inheritance worked, but how to manage money. Having full control of the accounts with minimal interference from guardians meant a loophole to allow the boys to invest and make a profit under Dumbledore's crooked nose. Hemlock had found that comment particularly funny and had giggle on and off for half an hour.

Given the multiple bond and core blocks that had to be removed, Goreaxe had the twins stay with the healers until they were deemed stable enough to leave. This gave Goreaxe the added advantage of having access to the boys to set up tutors and teach them more about the Stone Nation. He deemed them fit enough after six months, in which time he had managed to create their own little home within the constraints of limited funding (which he enjoyed immensly), set up tutors for the remaining time until Hogwarts started up, and invested half of the remaining money from their funds (the boys had been shown and taught what was happening and the goblin had been almost gleeful at their abilities in choosing investments).

They had several of the goblins looking after their interests, especially after a copy of their health reports had inexplicably made the rounds throughout the bank. Healer Jewelfang, and incidentally Goreaxe's wife, had taken charge of the twins and had mandated their care for after they had left. Hemlock and Hades were to come for regular checkups and lessons with Goreaxe, and they were to follow her instructions to the letter.

As Hades and Hemlock lingered in the bed, it was obvious that they had indeed followed the goblin healers instructions. Although neither boy would ever be very tall or bulky, they no longer appeared far too skinny and short for their age, simply delicate. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hemlock and Hades have an unexpected encounter. A grumpy bat gets a good, swift wake-up call

         Diagon Alley was a thoroughfare, with many alley's splitting off into their own unique sections. One alley in particular was known for it's leaning towards books, potions, and specialized stores. At this moment in time, two twin boys were browsing in an apothecary after an appointment at Gringotts. Jewelfang had been very pleased with the Peverell twins' progress, and seemed quite proud when they had explained their foray into the older and more potent rituals used during the winter solstice. Apparently the ritual that they had performed was a powerful one which had finally pushed their cores into the right place. After the blocks had been removed, both Hemlock and Hades had struggled for the next two and half years to keep their magic stable. The ritual had given them just enough of a push to really shift their cores into balance. That had been less than a month ago, and both ten year old's were looking forward to their 11th birthday. They planned on inviting their tutors and some goblins, especially Goreaxe and Jewelfang, both of whom they had come to think of as family. 

          The boys were rather paranoid when it came to being out in public due to the extreme risks that came with discovery, but this was going to be their birthday outing as previously decided. Hemlock had once again been dragged into an apothecary after their checkup with Healer Jewelfang by an excitable Hades, whom had found a rather interesting potion book the month before. He had been raving about the effect of non-pewter cauldrons on even the simplest of recipes, when Hemlock had finally just thrown up his hands in exasperation and promised that he would go with him to look at cauldron prices during their short allowance of time after their usual checkup.

          It was while Hemlock was studying an arrangement of nail clippings from various creatures that he heard the door to the apothecary open. Looking into the mirror glass behind the shelves, he could see a tall man with black hair and eyes walk over to the counter. The man was wearing all black and his skin was very pale. He looked like he spent most of his time indoors. Dismissing him as a customer, Hemlock walked over to Hades, who was studying a set of diamond, gold, silver, and copper cauldrons in the corner. At seeing the prices, Hemlock's eyebrows crept up to his hairline. While his own hair was pulled back into a ponytail, Hades preferred his shorter, only reaching his chin in length. That was when Hemlock noticed the look of confusion covering Hades face. Both boys had been practicing Occlumency, and had received many lessons on etiquette, so his brother showing his feeling's was rather unusual whilst anywhere but home and the bank.

          Nudging his brother, Hemlock whispered, "Are you alright?"

          Hades nodded and answered, "I think so, but I keep feeling this weird pulling sensation on my magic."

          Hemlock frowned and was about to whisper back about going to see Jewelfang when he was distracted. Both boys looked over and up when they heard the sound of footsteps drawing nearer. The tall man whom had just entered was standing next to them looking both angry and confused. Reaching out, Hemlock squeezed Hades hand in his and tensed when he noticed all of the man's attention was focused on Hades. 

          Black eyes narrowing, the man asked, "Who might you be?"

          Hemlock cut in before Hades could answer, as Hades was now looking wary, "That question is usually prefaced by an introduction, sir."

          The man focused on him now, and whatever had taken him over when he was focusing so hard on Hades seemed to dissipate as he looked at Hemlock. Based on the look in the man's eyes, he hadn't been expecting that.

          With a sneer that could rival Chief Gornuk's, he replied, "I am Potion Master Severus Snape, and the Potions Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," then he asked with quite a bit of sarcasm, "And what might your names be?"

        The twins shared a loaded look and both Hemlock and Hades understood why the man was so wound up, this was Hades' Godfather. The bond had been blocked for so long that he might not even know what he was feeling. Not wanting to risk cluing the agitated man in, Hemlock took the lead. He might prefer to leave any socializing to Hades, but he would protect his brother with everything he had if it meant keeping Hades out of Dumbledore's clutches.

          "Master Snape," Hemlock began, "I am Hemlock Peverell, Heir to the Ancient and Noble house of Peverell, and this is my brother, Hades Peverell, of the Ancient and Noble house of Peverell. Well met, sir." His tone was that of a Lord whom was feeling somewhat insulted but wished to be polite all the same.

          Keeping up the front of a pure-blood, even if he was a child, should throw the man off enough that he won't question the feeling of the bond trying to fully establish itself. Both boys knew that this was exactly what was happening, Goreaxe had explained that if Dumbledore had waited for the bonds to solidify properly before he had blocked them, both of their godfathers would have been able to follow the connection straight to them. No one had been able to determine if the adults connected to their inheritance tests - except Dumbledore - had been interfered with in some way. Therefore it was a mutual decision that any contact should be handled with extreme caution. The goblins were even in the process of looking into the case of Sirius Black, as he shouldn't have been able to leave Hemlock the night of the attack.

         Given the infinitesimal widening of black eyes, the added information about their status had done as it was intended, and Hemlock was sure that this man was an accomplished Occlumens given how difficult it was to read him.

          The door opened just as Hades' godfather went to reply, and Lucius Malfoy walked in. Hemlock recognized him from some old newspaper articles he had been reading for a history assignment. That was when Hemlock squeezed Hades hand in three rapid movements. This was a signal system that the boys had prepared for when they were in public. They took no chances when it came to someone recognizing either of them in spite of the differences in their appearances. Both boys wrapped their magic around them in a smooth, practiced move perfected over the years and dissipated from notice entirely. Taking the opportunity, Hemlock quickly drug Hades through the apothecary and out the door before Snape realized that they were moving. Snape had been too busy greeting the Malfoy Lord to notice two boys wrapping magic around themselves so that they wouldn't be noticed until it was too late. They had slipped out of the door as it was closing, with none the wiser.

          Activating the portkeys that they carried with them at all times, both boys landed in their familiar kitchen, staring at each other in shock.

*****

          Severus Snape was a bitter man, he had lost his only sister in heart and it had been his fault completely. He had gone through life with little purpose and very few friends. Upon entering the apothecary that he favored for his personal stores, Severus had not expected the unusual way that his magical core had perked up. He had ignored it until he had locked eyes on a young, red-haired boy, concentrating on an expensive array of cauldrons. Walking up to and speaking to the boy certainly hadn't been done consciously, but he had almost choked when he realized that the young boy wasn't actually alone. How had he missed that? He was a spy, for Merlin's sake!

          But it had happened, and he had managed to bring out his usual mask and introduce himself. The second, identical boy, had presented himself in such a manner that he was shocked that he was not older than he appeared. The boy had sounded like a pureblood Lord, and not a child trying to imitate their father. When he had turned his back to see Lucius entering, he had felt his world tilt a bit. The spy that had played Albus Dumbledore like a fiddle didn't notice two little boys sneaking out of an apothecary from directly behind him. To top it off, Lucius hadn't even noticed that they were in the shop. 

         "Severus?" Lucius' voice pulled him from his mental tirade as he met the quicksilver eyes of the Malfoy Lord. 

         "What do you know about magical bonds?" Severus asked, his voice sharp but low, ensuring that the store attendant did not overhear.

         Lucius simply stared at his friend for a moment before motioning for Severus to follow. The walk was short, and by the end of it, they found themselves in a private booth at a high-end tea room called Wicked Peppermint. 

          After both had a cup of strong tea in front of them, Lucius sighed and asked, "What is going on, Severus? I've never seen you this rattled before?"

          Both men knew that Severus had only been truly rattled only once before, and both men preferred not to speak of that night if they could help it. 

          Letting a sharp breath out through his nose, Severus looked at Lucius and explained what had happened at the apothecary in the best terms that he could. Since he himself wasn't entirely sure what had happened, he was hoping that Lucius would understand what he was talking about. He knew that it was a bond of some type, but for it to reach out for a little boy that looked no older than eight was disconcerting to say the least.

          When Lucius had dropped his cup with a clatter onto the saucer, Severus felt his eyes widen for the second time that day. Not once had he seen Lucius treat china like that before. He was also fairly certain that the look on Lucius' face spelled bad news. He scowled fiercely and waited for an explanation. 

           "Are you absolutely certain about the way your magic reacted when you walked up to the boy?" Lucius' voice had taken on an interesting quality of squeaking. That was certainly new.

           "Yes," Severus snapped, wanting his friend to hurry up and get on with it.

           Clearing his throat, and looking as though he was trying not to be noticed by a rampaging hippogriff, Lucius explained, "Severus, what you just described sounds exactly like a Godfather bond created in the Olde Way, trying to solidify itself between Godfather and Godchild. That is what happened when I became Blaise Zabini's Godfather..." Lucius had trailed off as the scowl on his friends face became more and more frightening.

           Severus then ground out, "If I was a child's Godfather in the Olde Way, then I would have had to be present for the ritual. I would have remembered something like that." Upon the last words leaving his mouth, Severus felt a sharp pain behind his right eyebrow and almost swore. Severus was a Master Occlumens, meaning that if someone had managed to tamper with his memory, the memory would never be able to forcefully be taken, but it could be hidden. The sensation that he just experienced was a memory that had been tampered with trying to come to the fore, but was being blocked. Standing abruptly, he spoke in a flat voice belying the raw fury that he was feeling, "I believe a trip to Gringott's is in order, Lucius."

          Lucius goggled for a moment before he schooled his features and put down enough to cover the tea, then followed his friend out into the cold, January weather.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucius gets the spotlight for a bit, the twins have reservations

  * Goraxe's P.O.V. will be in  _italics_
  * Memories will be in  **bold**
  * Remembered recently that I forgot to explain Hemlock's scar in chapter 7, so the boys' P.O.V. will mostly be that, it also helps to explain the boys reluctance to try and form a bond to Sevvie



 

 

     

 

 

       Lucius Malfoy was a man of elegance, poise, and pride. He knew that he had some qualities considered less than desirable, but he had lived and learned long enough to know that he could use those qualities to his own advantage, as well as how to control them when needed. For example, pride only got you so far when in the presence of goblins. Well, only a certain type of pride. Arrogance tended to get you screwed over and on the receiving end of the goblins disdain. 

       So, as the Head of the House of Malfoy entered Gringott's with his silently fuming friend, he made sure to show respect without cowering, and waited with patience and grace for a teller to become free. Severus was controlling his fury very well considering what Lucius knew, and if the twitch in his friend's eyelid was anything to go by, he didn't know much.

       For a moment, Lucius had been concerned about Severus' mental health when he had told him about the identical children that had apparently been in the apothecary when he entered the shop. That had paled in comparison to the apparent bond that Severus had with a child he did not recognize. The story he had heard after deciding to say hello to an old friend whilst running some errands, was nothing like he had been expecting. The lapses in decorum had been a little embarrassing, but he didn't think anyone could blame him... the goggling had definitely been embarrassing, thank The Lady he had still been in the private area. 

      As they finally reached the front of the line, Lucius noticed that the looks Severus was on the receiving end of were either very bad or very puzzling. Shaking himself slightly, neither man spoke until Lucius had requested a private room and sat waiting for a goblin to assist them. 

       "Have you by any chance done something stupid whilst dealing with the Stone Nation lately?" Lucius' question sounded amused, possibly bland, but he wanted to know before dealing with anyone associated with the bank.

      The look on Severus' face told Lucius what he wanted to know before he even opened his mouth, which made the puzzle even more confusing. "I have no need to go to bank, Lucius, I only have my private vault and I have never received any missives requiring my attention."

       "That would indicate that there is something amiss, Mr. Snape, Lord Malfoy," a growling, scratching voice responded from their right.

       Both men managed to stay still, but Lucius had been very much surprised by the goblin seemingly appearing out of thin air. Not wanting to seem rude, Lucius stood with Severus right behind him and bowed his head in respect. "Master goblin," he greeted, not bothering with the ridiculous 'Goblin greetings' some idiot magizoologist's had written in books about magical creatures.

       At the goblin's nod, they both sat back down and watched as the goblin made himself comfortable before introducing himself, "I am Manager Goreaxe, I have been assigned to assist you today."

        _Goreaxe was feeling slightly wary at seeing the godfather of one of the younglings he was in charge of. Severus Snape was a man whom it seemed was impossible to get a hold of. With the inheritance tests of two young wizards, they were leery of having the man anywhere near the bank. Thus, when he had overheard a young guard speaking to one of the bankers about Snape waiting in a private room, he had immediately taken control of the situation._

       "We have come today to discuss an inheritance potion to clear up some discrepancies in my memory." - _Goreaxe could practically taste the anger behind the man's words, even as he remained polite. -_  "However, it would seem that there are other things that need to be discussed. I am unsure what about my comment would lead you to believe something is amiss," Severus explained.

       Lucius was finding himself unusually nervous in the presence of this goblin. The situation was rather unusual as managers did not normally deal with any wizards outside of their own clients. Lucius had never met this goblin and knew that he had nothing to do with his estate. Something was off and it was making Lucius even more antsy than before. The smile that Goreaxe gave them made things worse, as he had no idea what it meant.

       Manager Goreaxe explained, "Gringott's has been trying for several years to get a hold of you, Severus Snape. Your account manager is especially frustrated as from what I understand, the Prince Estate has remained dormant since the death of the former Lord Prince. We of the Stone Nation do not appreciate being ignored." Before Severus could respond, Goreaxe continued, "However, given your comment and confusion, it could be reasoned that something, or  _someone_ has been... blocking our correspondence."

       The smirk on the goblins face was, again, anxiety-inducing, but his words and inflection made Lucius become simultaneously cold and hot with concern and anger. Lucius knew that Lord Prince had been his friend's grandfather, but he was also under the impression that Severus and his mother had been disowned. Goreaxe's words sent a shiver up his spine, the thought that there was a single person behind blocking Severus' memories, his godfather bond, and controlling his correspondence was both terrifying and infuriating.Then, the fact that the goblins had been the ones sending letters out connected to the Prince family without, apparently, been received was icing on the cake.

       Severus was also looking slightly concerned, with what was a terrifying amount of anger under the surface if he could actually see it (Lucius really envied his skill with Occlumency sometimes), and responded, "I do believe an Inheritance test has become a matter more than pressing, Manager Goreaxe."

       With a nod, Goreaxe got up and announced, "I will retrieve the required materials and request the presence of the Prince family's manager."

        _Goreaxe hurried as fast as he could whilst maintaining his decorum, as required with his status as estate manager for the Peverell family. Normally he wouldn't have had to do this himself, but Snape was not technically his client, he needed to act quickly. After making sure that the Chief was notified of the situation, he found and explained the situation to Bloodfang, whom happened to be his wife's brother and the Prince Account Manager. Before they both went on their way to deal with an increasingly complicated situation, Goreaxe wrote a missive to his favorite wizard younglings, and hoped that this did not become more complicated than it already was._

_*****_

       There had been no sounds in the shack after Hades and Hemlock had both sat down with some calming tea. Hades had remained fixated on his tea as his thoughts whirled like a hurricane in his mind. His Occlumency training was helping him sort things in his mindscape agonizingly slowly, but he was having a difficult time keeping his magic from lashing out. A hand on his had Hades looking up at Hemlock, whom was sitting adjacent to himself at the kitchen table. 

       Hades found his eyes straying to Hemlock's left shoulder, where there was a long scar hidden under quality material, and the hand over his tightened:

> **Hades and Hemlock had made their way back to Surrey after their first ever trip into the wizarding world in complete and utter silence. Once they had reached their correct stop, both had simply stared at each other for a moment before straightening their shoulders and splitting up. Their freak-out and subsequent meltdowns had occurred in the safety of the Stone Nations bank, in the care of Healer Jewelfang. The knowledge that they had not only been ripped from their world but also their only remaining family had hit hard. Knowing that their minds, magic, and bodies had been messed with made them both terrified and furious.**
> 
> **After quite some time with the goblins, they had finally been released to go to their newly created home with a portkey to use out in the alley, but both boys had wanted to gather the only things that they felt they could not live without from the muggles. For Hemlock, it was the baby bracelet that with Hades' help, he had tracked down and bought back from the pawn shop his foster father had sold it to. For Hades, it was Lily's trunk and the baby blanket he had been dumped with, they had found Hades' bracelet in the possession of the goblins. Apparently it had been found in the wreckage of their home after the attack.**
> 
> **As Hades walked down Privet Drive, he felt a strange sort of apathy for the place that held such horrible memories. The knowledge that he was about to leave and never come back giving him a resolve and calm that he didn't believe he would have had otherwise.**
> 
> **He did, however, pause when he noticed Vernon's vehicle in the driveway. Hardening his stance, Hades quickly and quietly slipped through the front door. Unfortunately for him, the trunk would make noise no matter what he did as neither he nor Hemlock were allowed to test their magic for a while yet. Their bodies might be in better shape than they had been in years, but Healer Jewelfang had sternly reminded them that their magic was unstable and therefore not to be played about with.**
> 
> **Deciding that his-no- _the_ cupboard was safest first, he opened it and grabbed the faded blue blanket that was shoved under the shelves along with the old crib mattress, and fled to the upper floor. Scrambling up into the attic as quietly as possible, he managed to maneuver the trunk to the front door without notice. Not for the first time, Hades was glad that Vernon and Dudley watched the telly so often and loud. **
> 
> **His relief was premature, however, when a frighteningly familiar voice screeched behind him, "What are you doing, FREAK?!"**
> 
> **Whipping around, stomach dropping after the resultant flinch that always came from the use of that name, panic causing his heart beat to speed up. His aunt continued to screech as she made her way down the hall from the kitchen. "First you run off with that hoodlum friend of yours-" her description of Hemlock, of his _brother_ , made the spark of panic turn into a spark of anger, which was almost squelched with fear when he saw Vernon struggling up from the couch out of the corner of his eye, "-then you have the audacity to let us think we'd finally gotten rid of you-" as much as he hated it, that caused a familiar pang of hurt, "- you show up and  _steal_ from us?!"**
> 
> **That made the anger flare up again as Vernon began to rant: about him being an ungrateful whelp, a strain on their finances after being forced to take care of him, a liar and a thief (surprisingly correct about the 'theft'), a stupid little brat... the list continued on, causing the spark of anger to continue to grow. His magic had been building unconsciously and had snapped when his uncle backhanded him across the face, causing Vernon to trip back and hit the wall from the force of it. Unfortunately for Hades, the magical lash had caused him to become dizzy and drained, Jewelfang had been rather serious about magic use.**
> 
> **When he finally registered the cacophony around him, he realized that Vernon had grabbed a large, jagged piece of glass that had come from a picture, which fell off the wall when he impacted. He was approaching with murder in his eyes, screaming about teaching vermin a lesson. As Vernon raised his arm and swung down, Petunia screaming in the background, a dark shape suddenly blocked his vision and a grunt of pain came from somewhere in front of him. A swell in magic and then utter silence met his senses, he was then being tugged into a painfully tight hug and he heard a muttered word. Hades felt as though there was a hook pulling his navel, then a dizzying sensation and he suddenly hit the ground. A whimper was heard, and his vision suddenly cleared.**
> 
> **Hemlock was lying on the ground in front of him. The trunk was lying on its side on a dark hardwood floor, the baby blanket in a crumpled pile. A glint told him that the baby bracelet was lying over by a nice-looking table and chairs. Then it finally registered. Hemlock was whimpering, his hand clutched on his left shoulder, with blood dripping from between his fingertips.**

       "There is no reason to believe that he will be anything like Them," Hemlock's quiet, shaking voice brought Hades back to the present, his hand now clutching his brother's. It was obvious that Hemlock had been pulled into the memory with him. This did not happen often, but both boys were feeling slightly raw from such an unexpected encounter with a man from an unknown past.

       A disbelieving snort left him before he could stop it, Hades then countered, "There is no reason to believe that he would be any different."

       Hemlock bowed his head, then said in a quiet, unsure voice, "Well, he was chosen to be your godfather with an Olde ritual."

       Hades froze at that, but the memory of blood pooling on the floor made him reluctant to agree. About to exclaim that it was a moot point anyway, seeing as Severus Snape had no idea who he was, an owl pecked on the kitchen window. 

       Both boys looked over to the left, startled, before Hemlock quickly got up and let the owl inside. The tawny owl landed proudly of the back of Hades' chair and settled in to rest a moment after he delivered the missive. The thick parchment's seal bore the English Stone Nations coat of arms. Glancing at each other in concern, Hades opened the letter, while Hemlock gave the owl some water and treats. 

       Feeling the blood drain from his face, Hades croaked, "Severus Snape is at Gringott's requesting an inheritance test, Goreaxe wants us to use the portkey so that we land in his office to discuss a plan of action."


End file.
